Organize Windows 11 Start Menu Apps into Folders

The Windows 11 Start menu helps you find your favorite programs quickly. It is split into three main areas: Pinned, All apps, and Recommended. The Pinned section holds shortcuts to your most important apps, like your browser or email.

Why do this? Organizing your apps into folders makes your Start menu less cluttered. It helps you find what you need faster, just like you do on your smartphone.

What happens when done? Your pinned apps will be neatly tucked away into folders. This keeps your desktop experience clean and easy to navigate.

How to group apps into folders

Starting with Windows 11 build 22557, you can create folders right on your Start menu. Note that this feature is currently for users in the Microsoft Insider Preview program. You can also learn more about this process through Windows 11 build 22557.

When you group your apps, your menu will look like this:

1. Open your Start menu.
2. Find an app icon you want to group.
3. Click and hold the icon, then drag it directly on top of another app you want in the same folder.
4. Release your mouse button. Windows will automatically create a folder for you.

Once the folder is created, you can drag more apps into it at any time. You can also move the folder around the Pinned section or drag apps out of it to ungroup them.

Summary

• Grouping apps keeps your Start menu tidy and organized.
• You can create folders by dragging one app icon on top of another.
• This feature works just like organizing apps on a phone or tablet.
• You can easily add, remove, or rearrange your apps within these folders at any time.

Note: This feature requires a supported version of Windows 11. No special admin privileges are required for standard users to organize their own Start menu.